When items of Freddie Mercury’s estate went under the hammer last month, self-confessed mad fan Moira Williamson leapt at the chance to take home a little something the legendary Queen front man once owned.
Among the lots, Lisa told the story of how the Perth nurse zeroed-in on something she recognised: a wooden Russian doll. There’s a picture of Mercury in his kitchen having a glass of wine in his kitchen, and there it is, right next to him.
Freddie Mercury’s boyfriend Jim Hutton, pictured in his kitchen, with the doll in the background. Pic via Nine News Perth.
Her bid of $13,000 was successful. Happy days, right?
On September 24, the (other) hammer fell.
Moira got a call from shipping company who advised her that the doll had arrived in Australia and asked if she was aware of the extra tax because the doll from Russia.
“That extra tax is about $4,550,” Lisa deadpanned. “This is already on top of the GST and import duty charge of $2,075.”
She continued.
“Are you doing the maths? That’s, you know, almost 20 grand… [including] $4,550 just because the doll was from Russia.”
Lisa explained that a import tariff on goods manufactured or produced in Russia that was introduced by our government last year when war broke out with Ukraine remains, and will do so until October next year.
“But I mean, should that extend to a doll that was owned by Freddie Mercury?” Lisa queried.
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